Rotary devices operated by pressurized-fluid

ABSTRACT

A rotary pressurized-fluid device usable as a pump, compressor or motor, comprises two coaxial units of revolution which can rotate one relative to the other around their common axis, one of these two units having at least one mobile piston in at least one cylinder formed from an annular groove of the other unit, coaxial with the latter, and divided into work-chambers by mobile partitions which slide in grooves, and which are subjected to the action of cams carried by the first unit, an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for the fluid communicating respectively with two orifices located one on each side of said piston, the device including means suitable for effecting communication of the space contained between one face of a mobile partition and the wall of the cylinder with the space contained between one face of said partition opposed to the first-mentioned face, and of the same area, and a face of the groove, so that said opposed faces of each mobile partition are permanently subjected to the same pressure.

United States Patent 1 [111 3,751,194 Marcel 1 Aug. 7, 1973 1 1 ROTARY DEVICES OPERATED BY PRESSURlZED-FLUID [76] Inventor: Jean Pierre Marcel, 20, rue E. Roux, Ruelle 16, France [22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 217,001

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 14, 1971 France 7101087 Mar. 9, 1971 France 7108052 [52] [1.8. CI. 418/217 [51] Int. Cl. F01c 1/00 [58] Field of Search 418/217 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,327,575 1/1920 Theemling 418/217 1,362,400 12/1920 Deubcl 418/217 1,843,409 2/1932 Tyler v 418/217 2,812,719 11/1957 Nash.... 418/217 2,818,839 l/l958 Voigt 418/217 3,279,392 10/1966 Conrad 418/217 3,404,632 10/1968 Reminiac et al 418/217 Primary Examiner-C. J. Husar Attorney-Cantor and Kraft [57] ABSTRACT A rotary pressurized-fluid device usable as a pump, compressor or motor, comprises two coaxial units of revolution which can rotate one relative to the other around their common axis, one of these two units having at least one mobile piston in at least one cylinder formed from an annular groove of the other unit, coaxial with the latter, and divided into work-chambers by mobile partitions which slide in grooves, and which are subjected to the action of cams carried by the first unit, an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for the fluid communicating respectively with two orifices located one on each side of said-piston, the device including means suitable for effecting communication of the space contained between one face of a mobile partition and the wall of the cylinder with the space contained between one face of said partition opposed to the firstmentioned face, and of the same area, and a face of the groove, so that said opposed faces of each mobile partition are permanently subjected to the same pressure.

7 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PAIENIEMUC (I975 I (1751 ,194

SHEET 01 GF 10 .PATENIEuAuc mm saw on or 1o PAIEMM'Q Hm saw 09 HF 10 ROTARY DEVICES OPERATED BY PRESSURIZED-FLUID BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to rotary devices operated by pressurized fluid, of the type described, for example, in German Patent No. 199 795, Le, devices usable as pumps, compressors, or motors, and having two coaxial mechanisms of revolution which can turn relative to one another around their common axis, one of these two mechanisms including pistons movable in cylinders formed from annular grooves in the other mechanisms divided into working chambers by partitions movable in grooves and subjected to the action of cams carried by the first mechanism, an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for the fluid communicating, respectively, with two orifices located one on each side of said pistons.

PRIOR ART In a first example of devices of this type, the grooves in which the partitions slide are radial in direction. In operation, that end face of each partition which is located in a cylinder,.is subjected to the action of the pressure of the fluid which obtains at any moment in said cylinder, while the opposite end face of the same partition is not in the cylinder and consequently is not subjected to the pressure obtaining there. As a result, the partition is not balanced and this impairs the efficiency of the device.

In a second example of devices of the same type, the grooves in which the mobile partitions slide are axially distributed along generators of a common contacting cylindrical surface of the two coaxial mechanisms of revolution already mentioned. In this case, it is one of the longitudinal faces of each partition which is subjected to the pressure obtaining in the corresponding cylinder, while its opposite face which is .to be found against the bottom of the groove in which it slides, is not subjected to this pressure, so that the partition is not balanced either, and this impairs the efficiency of the device.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is to provide a device of the type in question, in which the partitions are balanced, with a view to remedying the aforementioned drawbacks of known machines.

To this end, according to the invention, there is provided in each partition a counter-balancing conduit which effects connection of one face of the partition located in the cylinder, with an opposed face of said partition, the latter face having the same area and being located in an enclosed space at the exterior of said cylinder. Thus, both faces in question of each partition are subjected to the same pressure, and the partition is perfectly balanced.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS I FIG. I shows a longitudinal section of a rotary pressurised-fluid device according to a first embodiment of the invention; I

FIGS. 2 and 3 are transverse sections along the lines lI-II and III-III respectively of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the movable partitions;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sections along the lines V-V and VI-VI, respectively, of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the partition, looking in the direction of the arrow VII in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a partial section on a larger scale along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 9 shows a transverse section along the lines IX-IX of FIG. 10 of a rotary pressurized-fluid device according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal section along the line XX of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an elevation of a bar of partitions of the device of FIGS. 9 and 10, shown in isolation;

FIG. 12 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section along the line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a developed view of part of FIG. 10;

FIG. 15 shows a transverse section along the line XV-XV of FIG. 16 of a rotary pressurized fluid device according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a section along the line XVI-XVI of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 17 is a partial section along line XVII-XVII of FIG. 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS The rotary device shown in FIGS. I to 3 can operate both as pump and as a motor supplied with pressurized fluid. It consists substantially of a stator I in which a rotor 2, integral with a shaft 3, can rotate.

Stator I is constituted by two identical cheeks 5, 6 between which there is clamped by bolts 7 an annular spacer 8. For reasons of ease of manufacture and assembly this annular spacer 8 is made up of three parts namely a cylindrical ring 11 and two L-section collars 12, 13 positioned angularly relative to the cheeks 5 and 6 by pins such as that shown at 14 at the lower part of FIG. 1.

In a general way, rotor 2 is constituted by a circular disc 16 integral with a long tubular hub 17 which is journalled in the stator through the intermediary of two needle bearings 18, 19 mounted in two flanged sockets 21, 22 fixed respectively to the two cheeks 5 and 6 by screws 23, 24.

Shaft 3 is supported at one of its grooved ends 28, in the complementarily-grooved end 29 of hub 17 and, at its other end, in a ball bearing 31 mounted in a shaped flanged member 30 also held in place by the screws 24. A cap 25 held in place by the screws 23 closes the pertaining end of the socket 21.

When assembled, the device is symmetrical relative to the transverse medical geometric plane of the plate or disc 16 of the rotor.

On the right-hand side of FIG. I, the device has a first annular throat 32, rectangular in cross-section, which will hereinafter be called the external cylinder, and a second annular throat 33, of rectangular cross-section and of smaller radius, and which will hereinafter be called the internal cylinder.

One of the heads of the external cylinder 32 is constituted by an annular plane face of the cheek 6, and the other head by an annular part of the corresponding plane face of the disc 16 of the rotor. One of the lateral faces of said cylinder is constituted by the bore of the collar 13 and the other face by a corresponding part of the external cylindrical surface of an annular member 47 of U-shaped cross-section whose base is perpendicular to the axis of the device, and whose limbs are in contact by their ends with the corresponding plane face of disc 16 of the rotor. This member 47 is fitted in the bottom of a wide annular groove 48 in the cheek 6, and it is made integral with said check by screws 49 and centering studs such as 51A, visible only in FIG. 1, for fixing the symmetrical annular member 47A.

In a similar way, one of the heads of the internal cylinder 33 is made up by an annular part of the plane face of cheek 6, located in the same plane as the cone sponding head of the external cylinder, with its other head being formed by another annular part of the same plane face of disc 16 of the rotor. The two lateral faces of this cylinder are formed, respectively, by a cylindrical portion 54 of the inner end of the flanged socket 22, and by the corresponding portion of the bore of the annular member 47 of U-shaped cross-section.

A certain number, three in the example, of members 36 in the form of ring segments, hereinafter called external pistons, can slide in a fluid-tight manner in the external cylinder 32 and in a similar way, three internal pistons 37 can slide freely, in a fluid-tight manner in the internal cylinder 33. In order to avoid any possible jamming due to lack of concentricity of the different elements of the device, each external piston, such as 36, and each internal piston, such as 37, is connected to the disc 16 of the rotor, solely in the circumferential direction, and to this end they have, respectively, radial grooves 38, 39 (FIG. 2) in which are accommodated, without play, pins 41, 42 in corresponding axiallydirected holes 43, 44 in the disc 16 of the rotor.

Movable radial partitions, whose number is a multiple of that of the pistons, namely twelve in the present embodiment, uniformly distributed around the geometric axis of the device and referenced respectively as 55-1, 55-2, 55-3 55-12, are mounted for radial sliding movement in slots such as 56 and 57 in the limbs of the annular member 47 of U-shaped cross-section, so as to be capable of temporarily and cyclically obstructing the external cylinder 32 and the internal cylinder 33 at corresponding positions, in order to define, in the cylinders, closed mobile chambers which are moved in proportion as the pistons describe their circular movements in said cylinders. The mobile partitions, such as 55-1 (see also FIG. 4) are of rectangular crosssection and the slots 56, 57 are of corresponding section. The thickness of these partitions is less than the circumferential length of the pistons.

In the embodiment shown, each partition, therefore, serves, in one of its two end positions, by one of its ends, to close cylinder 32, which is the case, for example, for the partition 55-11 (in FIG. 2), while its inner end on the other hand leaves open the internal cylinder 33; in its opposite extreme position, the same partition, thus occupying the position occupied, for example, by partition 55-1 in the drawing, on the contrary closes with its inner end the internal cylinder 33, while its outer end leaves completely free the passages for the piston 36 in the external cylinder 32.

For reasons of fluid-tightness and mechanical strength, the outer and inner ends of each mobile partition, such, for example, as 55-2, engage respectively in notches6l, 62 (FIGS. 1 and 2) made respectively in the lateral large-radius surface of the external cylinder 32, and in the small-radius lateral surface of internal cylinder 33.

The radial movement of each mobile partition, such as 55-1, is ensured by a cam groove 63 made in the pertaining face of the rotor disc 16, and in which there is engaged a pin 64 integral with said partition, and of the same width as this cam groove. Thus, the mobile partitions are actuated in perfect synchronism with the circular movement of the pistons in the two cylinders; the track of the cam groove is such that a mobile partition does not begin its movement to open a cylinder before the partition located immediately downstream is itself in the closing position.

The device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 can reach high rotary speeds while operating without shocks and therefore without vibrations or noise, particularly due to the provision of the movable partitions and to their seatings, which enables elimination of the effects of pressure on the end faces of the partitions, the maintenance of balance in the pressure of the fluid in contact with said partitions, during closing and opening of the cylinders, thus eliminating all friction as they operate, and maintaining the volume of the work-chambers for the fluid. Each of the partitions has particular features which are clearly seen in FIGS. 4 to 7. Each mobile partition, such as -1, has an intermediate enlarged portion 71 parallelepipedic in form, whose heightis the same as that of the partition, but whose width is double. This enlarged portion slides freely in a fluid-tight manner in a rectangular channel 72 of corresponding crosssection formed by the inner part of a radial member 73 of U-shaped cross-section whose base bears against the base of the annular member 47, while its limbs bear with their edges against the corresponding plane face of the rotor disc 16, and with their ends, which have the shape of portions of cylindrical surfaces, respectively, against the two inner cylindrical faces opposite the limbs of the annular member 47. It is in order to make possible the machining of channel 72 (wider than the slots 56, 57) that parts such as 73 have been added to the interior of annular part 47.

For convenience of description, that end of each mobile partition, such as 55-1, which cooperates with the external cylinder 32 will hereinafter be called the forward end, and that part which cooperates with the internal cylinder will hereinafter be called the rear end. The forward part of each of these partitions has, at two different levels, two longitudinal ducts 75, 76 (FIGS. 4 to 7), connected respectively to two oblique ducts 77, 78 opening respectively behind the left-hand portion and behind the right-hand portion of the enlargement 71. In a similar way, the rear part of the same partition has, at two different levels, two longitudinal ducts 81, 82 connected to two oblique ducts 83, 84 made in the enlargement 71 and opening respectively in front of the right-hand portion and in front of the left-hand portion of the front face of the enlargement 71.

The rectangular channel 72, the mobile partition such as 55-1, and its enlarged portion 71, form seatings such as 72A and 72B situated on either side of one end of the partition and communicating through the other end with one of the cylinders. As the width of the enlarged portion is double that of the partition, the force of the fluid on each extreme face of these partitions is cancelled by an equal and opposed force of the fluid on the faces of the seatings appertaining to the enlarged portion 71.

The seatings form part of that working chamber of the fluid with which they communicate, which allows the volume of these chambers to be kept constant whatever the position of the mobile partitions.

Moreover, in order that the sliding of the partitions is not disturbed by the effect of the difference in pressure which may obtain on their two faces, in the portion of the latter which is in a cylinder, when the ends of the mobile partitions are displaced in the notches 61, 62, the cylinder base formed by the annular portion of the rotor, has, appropriately distributed, circumferential direction is greater than the thickness of the partitions, but is at the same time less than the circumferential length of a piston, such as 36 or 37, so that it does not risk establishing a connection between the chambers which are in front of and behind each piston, when a piston passes a mobile partition.

If the device is operating as a motor, the compressed fluid is admitted by a fixed central connection 91 screwed into the cap and communicating with an axial hole 92 in the shaft 3 into which there opens the inner ends of radial ducts 93, whose outer ends open into an annular groove 94 in said shaft. A rotary joint 89 ensures the fluid-tightness between connection 91 and shaft 3. The groove 94 communicates through radial ducts 95 (FIG. 3) in the thickness of the rotor disc 16, with holes 96 (see also FIG. 2) directly axially, which open into the internal cylinder 33, level with one face of each piston 37. Level with opposite face of each piston there is another radial duct 98 in the thickness of rotor disc with this radial duct opening on the periphery of the rotor into an annular external groove 101 between the rotor and the annular spacer 8 (cylindrical ring 11) of the stator, said groove communicating with a duct 102 opening to the exterior (FIG. 3).

In a similar way, the rotor 16 has, at the level of the two ends of each external piston 36, two axial holes 104, 105, which open respectively into two radial ducts 106,- 107, communicating with the internal annular groove 94 and the external annular groove 101, respectively.

In addition, in the described embodiment, on each of the three radial ducts 106 admitting the fluid into the external cylinder 32 there is interposed a double-valve system 110 comprising a member 111 screwed into the rotor and having at its base two seats 112, 113 which support respectively a valve 114 under the pressure of a column of elastic washers 115, and a valve 116 under the pressure of a spring 117.

Under a certain pressure, the fluid admitted through duct 106 lifts valve 114 and, passing through openings 118 in member 111, supplies the external cylinders through duct 104.

When the direction of rotation is reversed, the exhaust fluid from duct 104 passes through openings 118, pushes valve 116 and returns to the reservoir through the groove and orifices 106-94-93-92-91.

The fluid-tightness between the various elements of the device is ensured by appropriate conventional means. For this purpose there are shown annular grooves 126 on shaft 3, annular grooves 127 in the flanged sockets 21, 22 and various toric joints, such as 131,132, 133.

For recovery of leakage there have also been shown ducts 134, 135, in the cheeks 5 and 6, communicating, through annular grooves 138, 139, with ducts 136, 137

in the flanged sockets 21, 22, and themselves opening into annular grooves 141, 142.

The pistons, mobile partitions, associated elements and corresponding distributor ducts which are on the left-hand side of disc 16 in FIG. 1 have not been described in detail, since they are symmetrical relative to the medial plane Ill-Ill of said disc, with these which are on the right-hand side of this disc, and which have hereinbefore been described. Only the two cylinders 32A, 33A have been indicated by way of example. The device functions as follows:

It will firstly be presumed that it is made to operate as a motor, that is to say, that it is supplied with fluid under pressure, for example, oil fed into the central connection 91, while the exhaust duct 102 is connected to a suitable return duct. In the device, the oil under pressure completes the following circuit; connection 91, axial duct 92, radial ducts 93 of shaft 3, annular groove 94 of the shaft, radial ducts 95 of the rotor, hole 96 of the rotor, and internal cylinder 33. If it is supposed that the different units of the motor occupy the positions shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, it will be seen that the three partitions 55-1, 55-9 and 55-5 define, in the internal cylinder 33, three chambers 33-1, 33-2 and 33-3, in each of which there is a piston 37.

Through each of the three holes 96 (FIG. 2), the fluid under pressure is admitted into the portion of each of these chambers which is located between the rear face (considered in relation to the direction of arrow f, which is that in which the motor will turn) of the corresponding piston and the closed partition 556, 55-9 or 55-1, so that the fluid, bearing against the said partitions, will push the three pistons 37 in the direction of arrow f. The whole rotor is therefore set into rotation in the direction of arrow f. The fluid enclosed in the other part of the three chambers of the cylinder which are being considered, that is to say between the front faces of the three pistons 37 and the other faces of the three aforementioned partitions escapes through the holes 97 in the rotor, the radial ducts 98 of the latter, the annular external groove 101 of the stator, and the exhaust duct 102.

In proportion as the three pistons 37 advance, the mobile partitions such as 55-1 are displaced towards the exterior under the action of the cam 63 integral with the rotor and permit passage to the pistons. Thus, in FIG. 2, the partition 55-8 is in the act of opening, while partition 55-5 is soon to be closed. As soon as the pistons turn, the three chambers of the internal cylinder 33 are themselves moved, in the same direction, as a result of successive openings and closings of the partitions synchronously with the movement of the pistons.

If the system of double valves 110 inserted in the radial ducts 106 in the rotor are momentarily ignored, it may be said that the course of the fluid, in comparison with the external cylinder 32, from the annular groove 94 in the shaft, is as follows:

'36 in the external cylinder 32 being the same as that hereinbefore described relating to the pistons 37 in internal cylinder 33.

The device operates under excellent conditions since it is perfectly balanced.

The couple applied to, the shaft 3 of the motor is therefore equal to the sum of the couples provided by the three mobile pistons in the internal cylinder, increased by the sum of the couples provided by the three mobile pistons 36 in the external cylinder, the whole being multiplied by two, since the motor is doublefaced.

Naturally, if the inlet and exhaust orifices are interchanged in function, the direction of rotation of the motor is reversed.

The presence of the double valves 110 allows improved operation of the motor. The oil arriving under pressure through the groove 94, firstly supplies the internal with the passages towards the external cylinders being obstructed by the valves. Depending on the resistant couple to be overcome by the motor, a certain pressure is established in the admission channels. The valves 1 14 are differently calibrated in such a way that, depending on the pressure existing in ducts 106, and, in consequence, depending on couple to be supplied by the motor, the internal cylinders, or the internal cylinders with one, two or three couples of pistons of the external cylinders are used automatically. When the rotation is reversed, all the pistons are supplied at the same time, the valves 116 being calibrated depending on the exhaust pressure.

This double-valve system which could be put on each of the admission and exhaust ducts, affords wide possibilities of speed-couple combinations. It allows, during use, automatic adjustment of the speed and of the couple to the work required of the motor.

The device is reversible, that is to say, if its shaft is set in rotation, it may be made to function as pump or as a compressor.

In a modification, instead of coming in through the center of the shaft, the fluid under pressure could be admitted to the rotor through ducts passing through the two faces of the stator and opening into the two annular grooves indicated by 100 and 100A in FIG. 1.

Another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 9 to 14, is composed substantially of a one-piece rotor 301 and of a stator 302 comprising a main hollow body 303 which has admission orifices 304 and exhaust orifices 305 and which is closed, at both of its ends, by clamp cams 306, 307.

The connection between the rotor and the stator is provided by two ball bearings 308, 309 and, the space between the external portion of the rotor and the internal cylindrical, coaxial portion of the stator is very small.

The rotor has annular grooves 312. These grooves and the internal surface of the stator, define annular cavities called cylinders. in each cylinder there are housed two opposed pistons 313 and 314, of a crosssection conforming to that of the cylinder, and capable of sliding in a fluid-tight fashion in this groove; each piston is made up of a ring segment fixed on the internal face of the stator.

The rotor also has, uniformly spaced on its surface, axially-directed grooves 316. In these grooves there are mounted, with sliding adjustment, castellated bars 317 forming mobile partitions (FIGS. 11 to 13).

These mobile bars are in contact by their ends with faces 321 and 322 of flanges 323, 324. These faces are cut in the form of cams, and they communicate to the partitions, during rotation of the rotor, an alternating rectilinear movement.

Notches 326 formed by the castillations in the bars 317 have a slightly larger cross-section than that of each cylinder. During their axial sliding movement in the rotor, the partitions obstruct or leave open each cylinder, this freeing taking place in front of the pistons.

FIG. 14, showing the developed cylindrical surface corresponding to the cylinder having the average diameter of the face-cam 321 (left-hand part of FIG. 10), shows that the mobile partitions, during rotation of the rotor, form on either side of each piston fluid workchambers 328 and 329.

The device functions as follows: if, for example, it operates as a motor, the fluid under pressure coming from the admission pipework 304 (FIGS. 9 and 14) penetrates into the work-chambers 328. Bearing against pistons 313 and 314, it pushes partitions 317A, closing the cylinder in the direction of arrow f.

The whole rotor is therefore set in rotation in the direction of arrow f. The fluid enclosed in chambers 329 escapes through the orifices 305 of the stator.

During rotation, the mobile partitions such as 317B are shifted toward the opening position of the cylinders, while the partitions such as 317C are shifted towards the closing position. Thus on both sides of each piston there are continually reformed a chamber in which the fluid is at the pressure of admission, and a chamber in which the fluid is at the exhaust pressure.

In zone 1, (FIG. 14) the partitions in the open position are stationary, the face of the cam is a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Zone 1] corresponds to passage from the open position to the closed position of the cylinders. During this maneuver, each partition is surrounded with fluid kept at a balanced pressure by:

ducts 331 (FIGS. 12 and 13) connecting the internal and external faces of the partitions 317 so that the latter are balanced radially;

ducts 330 connecting the bottoms of the notches 326 with spaces 335 hollowed in the face of the partition opposite the bottoms of the notches 326;

hollows 332 (FIGS. 9 and 14) made in those faces of the cylinders pertaining to the stator, allowing communication on both sides of the lateral faces when closing is complete, at which time such communication can no longer be ensured by the notches 326;

the configuration of said partitions, which is such that the effects of the pressure are annulled also in the longitudinal direction.

The penetration of the partition into a cylinder does not modify the volume of the work-chamber, the partition removing from the cylinder, in its notch 326, a volume of fluid equal to the volume of the portion of the partition engaged in the chamber. The device shown can reach high speeds of rotation, operating without jolts, and therefore, without vibrations and noise, due to the balance in the pressure of the fluid in contact with the mobile partitions, which eliminates all frictional effect as they function, and due to the maintenance of the volume of the work-chambers for the fluid.

Zone III is that for closing the cylinders; the partitions are stationary, and the face of the cam is a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Zone IV corresponds to passage from the closed into the open position of the cylinders. The track of the cam is symmetrical at the part corresponding to zone II relative to the median plane of zone Ill. Before the partitions begin to slide, the hollows 332 line the portions of the cylinder situated on either side of the partitions, and ensure a balance in the pressure of the fluid, with this balance being subsequently maintained through the notches 326.

Passage through these four zones corresponds to a complete cycle for a rotation of l80, which gives the motor a cylinder capacity of volume double that of the cylinders.

Devices of the type shown in FIGS. 9 to 14 can easily provide several speeds and, when they are used as motors, they may be fitted with a system of double valves of the type of valve 110 in FIG. 3, allowing, during operation, automatic adjustment of the speed and of the couple to the work required.

The pressurized-fluid rotary device shown in FIGS. 15 to 17 is made up substantially of a stator 241 and of a rotor 242. Stator 241 is formed of two cheeks 243, 244 clamped over an annular distance block 245 by means of screws 246. The rotor 242 is formed by a median disc 248 integrated, for example, by grooves 247, with a shaft 249 journalled in the two cheeks through the intermediary of two ball bearings 252, 253 held by annular clamps 254, 255 fitted with fluid-tight joints 256.

An annular space 257 contained between the periphery of disc 248 and the internal cylindrical surface of the annular block 245 forms an annular or cylindrical groove in which there are lodged two pistons 261, 262, diametrally opposed, and rendered integral with the annular block 245 by screws 263. The rotor disc 248 has radial slots 265 in which there can slide partitions 266 of corresponding generally rectangular cross-section, due to the effect of a cam groove 268 made in each of the two faces opposite the cheeks 243, 244 and in which there are engaged pins 269 integral with said partitions.

In line with the cylinder 257, and two cheeks 243, 244 have ports 272 on one side of the two pistons 261, 262 and identical ports 273 on the other side of said pistons. If the device operates, for example, as a motor, and if the fluid under pressure is admitted through the ports 272, the rotor turns in the direction of arrow F, the fluid escaping through the ports 273. If, on the. contrary, the fluid under pressure is admitted through the ports 273, the rotor then turns in the opposite direction and the fluid escapes through the ports 272. In order that the motor may operate under the same conditions in both directions of rotation, the whole is symmetrical relative to the longitudinal plane passing through the middle of the two pistons 261, 262.

FIG. 17 shows the arrangement of the device in the vicinity of the port 273 which is at the lower part of FIG. 15; here one finds the same arrangement in the vicinity of the diametrally-opposed port 273 as well as in the vicinity of each of the two other ports 272. (FIG. 15).

The port 272 (FIGS. 15 and 17) thus communicates on the one hand with cylinder 257 and on the other hand with a cavity 275 and a duct 276 allowing passage of the fluid between the interior and exterior of the device.

The bases of the radial slots 265 of the rotor communicate laterally, on both sides, with arcuate cavities, such as 281, 282, 283, in the two faces opposite the two cheeks 243, 244. The example shows three chambers on one side of the plane of symmetry of the device, and three identical chambers on the other side. On each side, the three cavities are connected in series by calibrated constrictions 285, 286. Cavity 283 is connected to duct 276 communicating with the exterior through holes 288, 289 and through cavities 275. Cavity 281 is connected, similarly, to port 272 and to the corresponding port communicating with the exterior. In other words, one end of three cavities in series is connected to the admission orifice of the device, while its other end is connected to the exhaust orifice. In addition, the intermediate chamber 282 is connected by a duct 291 to an annular space 292 and to a drain duct 290 for removing leaked fluid. This intermediate chamber, by means of the pressure of fluid obtaining therein, helps to make the partition bear against the outer wall of the cylinder.

The device operates as a motor as follows;

The fluid under pressure admitted into the chambers 257A of cylinder 257, bearing against pistons 261, 262, pushes the two partitions 266A, closing the cylinder in the direction of arrow F. The whole rotor is therefore, rotated in the direction of arrow F. The fluid trapped in chambers 275B escapes through ports 273 of the stator.

In proportion with the rotation of the rotor, the mobile partitions such as 2668 are moved outwards under the action of the sliding of the pins 269 in the cam groove 268, while the mobile partitions such as 266C are moved inwards.

Thus there are continuously reformed during the rotation, on both sides of each piston, a chamber in which I the fluid is at the admission pressure, and a chamber in which the fluid is at the exhaust pressure.

During their movement in the cylinder, the mobile partitions are subjected to the action of the pressure obtaining in the cylinder, on their outer end-face 293 and to the action of the pressure obtaining in grooves 265, on their inner face 294, these two pressures being equally constructed. The partitions are therefore balanced.

In the sector of angle Al, the portion of the cam groove 268 is concentric with the axis of rotation; the mobile partition rests on the base of its housing by its butt 294, while the pressure obtaining in chamber 25713 and then in chamber 257A is exerted on its outer end.

Sector A2 limits the zone in which the mobile parti tion passes from the open to the closed position of the cylinder. In order to prevent the sliding of the partitions from being affected by the difference in the pressure exerted on their two end faces, there is a connection between cylinder and groove through the ducts already mentioned, such as 288, 289 (FIG. 17). These different ducts help to neutralize the variations in capacity of the work-chambers, due to the penetration of the partitions into the cylinder; the volume of fluid expelled through the external end of an incoming partition, through these ducts, will take the place of the same volume created in the groove by the opposite end of this same partition.

The device can achieve high rotary speeds while operating without jolts and therefore without vibrations or noise, due to the balance of pressure of the fluid in contact with the mobile partitions, thus eliminating all friction during their operation, and ensuring that the volume of the work-chambers for the fluid is maintained.

The sector A3 corresponds to the closed position of the partitions; the corresponding portion of the camgroove is concentric with the axis of rotation. Angle A3 is greater than the angle formed by the radial planes passing through the medial parts of two consecutive grooves, so that a partition does not begin its movement opening the cylinder before the partition located immediately upstream is itself in the closing position.

As this point, each partition is pressed against the external wall of the cylinder under the action of the pressure of the fluid located in the cavities 282.

Sector A4 limits the zone within which the mobile partition passes from the closed to the open position of the cylinder. For reasons hereinbefore given in the paragraph dealing with zone A2, there is communication between cylinder and groove through ducts identical with those indicated as 288, 289, corresponding to the exhaust part.

A rotation of 180 of the rotor corresponds to a complete cycle, which gives the motor a cylinder capacity of volume double that of the cylinder.

Such devices have a whole series of advantages, notay;

they may be used as motors, pumps or compressors;

their symmetry relative to two rectangular diametral planes allows rotation in both directions;

the whole is compact and robust, allowing powerful, large-capacity devices to be produced;

the forces applied to the pistons are perpendicular to planes passing through the axis of rotation of the device, so that the couples transmitted to the output unit are maximum;

if each annular groove contains several uniformlydistributed pistons, the transmission of the forces applied between the pistons and the rotating part is effected without parasitic reaction on the latter;

the device may be perfectly balanced, both dymanically and statically;

the volume of admitted fluid being proportional to the angle of rotation, the operation of the device causes neither vibrations nor noise;

the weight-power ratio is low;

the devices are composed of very few different parts, a factor of importance in economical construction;

thanks to their special design, they can attain high speeds of rotation;

the large capacity of these devices allows them to develop powerful couples. Each piston may be supplied separately, allowing the couple to be varies at will.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated; numerous variations may be made, depending on the applications envisaged, without, however, going beyond the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A rotary pressurized-fluid device, usuable as a pump, compressor or motor, comprising two coaxial units of revolution having a common axis and which can rotate one relative to the other around their common axis, one of these two units having at least one cylinder, at least one mobile piston in said one cylinder, said one cylinder being defined by an annular groove provided between said two coaxial units, mobile partitions slidable in guide grooves, each partition having two opposed lateral faces located in planes at right angles to the direction of the cylinder and which define work chambers within the cylinder, and two further opposed parallel faces located in planes extending parallel with the direction of the cylinder, cam means on one of the units, said partitions being subjected to the action of the cam means, an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for the fluid communicating respectively with two orifices located one on each side of said piston, and

means suitable for effecting communication of the space contained between one parallel face of a mobile partition and the wall of the cylinder with the space contained between one face of said partition opposed to the first mentioned parallel face, and of the same area, and a face of the groove, so that said further opposed-parallel faces of each mobile partition are permanently subjected to the same pressure.

2. The device according to claim 1, in which said means comprises a balancing duct causing one parallel face of said partition, located in the cylinder, to communicate with an opposed face of said partition, which is of substantially the same area, and located in an enclosed space hollowed out of said partition.

3. The device according to claim 2, comprising several coaxial cylinders, and partitions controlling several of said cylinders, with each mobile partition opening and closing several cylinders.

4. The device according to claim 3, in which each mobile partition opens any one of the cylinders, while it closes an adjacent cylinder.

5. The device according to claim 4, in which each said partition comprises at least one intermediate enlarged portion sliding in said enclosed space, and whose transverse section is double that of the partition, each balancing duct connecting one end face of one end of the partition to the portion of the enclosed space located in the groove beyond the corresponding enlarged portion relative to the end of the partition.

6. The device according to claim 1, in which said communication-effecting means is defined by ducts which open into a common course of cavities in the form of arcuate segments which are hollowed out in the unit carrying the pistons, with said cavities being connected respectively to the inlet and outlet orifices for the fluid, so that the further opposed parallel faces of each partition are permanently subject to the substantially equal pressures.

7. The device according to claim 6 in which there is a series of at least three cavities in the form of arcuate segments and each of which is connected to its successor by a calibrated constriction, with the end cavities of each series being connected respectively to the inlet and outlet orifices for the fluid.

i i t i i 

1. A rotary pressurized-fluid device, usuable as a pump, compressor or motor, comprising two coaxial units of revolution having a common axis and which can rotate one relative to the other around their common axis, one of these two units having at least one cylinder, at least one mobile piston in said one cylinder, said one cylinder being defined by an annular groove provided between said two coaxial units, mobile partitions slidable in guide grooves, each partition having two opposed lateral faces located in planes at right angles to the direction of the cylinder and which define work chambers within the cylinder, and two further opposed parallel faces located in planes extending parallel with the direction of the cylinder, cam means on one of the units, said partitions being subjected to the action of the cam means, an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice for the fluid communicating respectively with two orifices located one on each side of said piston, and means suitable for effecting communication of the space contained between one parallel face of a mobile partition and the wall of the cylinder with the space contained between one face of said partition opposed to the first mentioned parallel face, and of the same area, and a face of the groove, so that said further opposed parallel faces of each mobile partition are permanently subjected to the same pressure.
 2. The device according to claim 1, in which said means comprises a balancing duct causing one parallel face of said partition, located in the cylinder, to communicate with an opposed face of said partition, which is of substantially the same area, and located in an enclosed space hollowed out of said partition.
 3. The device according to claim 2, comprising several coaxial cylinders, and partitions controlling several of said cylinders, with each mobile partition opening and closing several cylinders.
 4. The device according to claim 3, in which each mobile partition opens any one of the cylinders, While it closes an adjacent cylinder.
 5. The device according to claim 4, in which each said partition comprises at least one intermediate enlarged portion sliding in said enclosed space, and whose transverse section is double that of the partition, each balancing duct connecting one end face of one end of the partition to the portion of the enclosed space located in the groove beyond the corresponding enlarged portion relative to the end of the partition.
 6. The device according to claim 1, in which said communication-effecting means is defined by ducts which open into a common course of cavities in the form of arcuate segments which are hollowed out in the unit carrying the pistons, with said cavities being connected respectively to the inlet and outlet orifices for the fluid, so that the further opposed parallel faces of each partition are permanently subject to the substantially equal pressures.
 7. The device according to claim 6 in which there is a series of at least three cavities in the form of arcuate segments and each of which is connected to its successor by a calibrated constriction, with the end cavities of each series being connected respectively to the inlet and outlet orifices for the fluid. 